Behind Closed Doors
by WorldOfMyImagination
Summary: Follows straight on from Divine Justice. A struggling Chloe insists that Dom is called to support her mum.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This story was originally supposed to be a one-shot following straight on from Divine Justice but now I am thinking it will actually be a two or three-parter, we shall see how it goes. The next chapter is all but written and all being well should be up tomorrow but please let me know if there is anything you would specifically like to happen. Can we also take a moment to appreciate Amy's outstanding performances these last two episodes (she's always outstanding but this was something else!). She is fab but I am so, so sad for My Chloe :( Anyway, I hope this is okay. Reviews are always appreciated :)

Oh and I also wrote a little Holby/Casualty one-shot cross-over which is in the (I suspect) lesser-visited crossover section if anyone would like to have a read of that.

* * *

Chloe had been silent ever since they had left the SARC, staring into space and her body tense. She was now sat on the stairs in Ange's house, where she had been ever since they had stepped foot in the door, hands clasped together so hard that her knuckles were turning white.

After a few minutes, Ange reappeared from the kitchen where she had been to turn up the heating. The evenings were getting colder now, a sure sign that winter was well on its way. She sat herself down on the step below Chloe and did not speak, she simply took a gentle hold of her clasped hands to let her know she was there and they just sat.

"Mum." Chloe croaked after some time. Her voice out of the silence surprised both of them.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Ange replied.

"Does...does Dom know?"

"No. Well, I haven't told him so it's unlikely."

"Then I think you should call him." She swallowed. "Ask him to come over because you shouldn't have to do this on your own. You need someone to support you."

"I don't need..."

"Yes, mum, you do." Chloe told her firmly. "Please, just call Dom." She was almost begging now.

"Okay." Ange agreed. "Okay. What do you want me to tell him? Because I don't have to..."

"He's going to find out anyway. You might as well tell him everything." Chloe moved to stand up. "I'm going to get changed." She announced, moving slowly and stiffly which did not go unnoticed by her mum.

"I'll come and check on you if you're not down in twenty minutes." Ange told her. This was not a threat, Ange was concerned for her daughter, hugely concerned. She was oddly calm about the whole situation and as much as Ange hated herself for thinking it, she would rather Chloe be breaking down, lashing out, telling her she hated her even, anything that meant she would not be bottling up those thoughts and feelings which were bound to be eating her up inside and taunting her already-fragile mind.

* * *

Ange sat at the table, staring at the contact she had brought up on her phone five minutes ago. She kept playing the conversation she was about to have over and over in her head but she could not find the right words. She had to do this though, Chloe had asked her to. She would do anything for Chloe. Taking a deep breath, she dialled the number and pressed the phone to her ear, heart-rate increasing and stomach in knots.

_"Hello?" _The voice on the other end spoke.

"Dominic, it's me, it's Ange."

_"Yep, so I gathered."_

"Dom, I need your help." She started, words faltering. "It's Chloe...she...we need your help, she asked me to call you." Ange fell silent, not knowing what to say next.

"_What's happened?" _Dom sensed the heartbreak in Ange's voice and quickly realised that something must have gone on.

"She's been attacked." Her voice cracked and she quickly wiped her eyes. "Raped." The word, one word seem to momentarily freeze time for both of them and Dom felt his blood run cold. "I'll explain everything later."

_"Evan?" _Dom questioned, utter hatred in his tone. Ange nodded and although Dom could not see, he knew. _"I'm on my way." _He told her. _"I'll be ten minutes." _

Relieved and grateful, Ange hung up the phone without saying a word of goodbye, acutely aware that if she said anything else she would break and she could not allow herself to do that, she had to be strong for Chloe. _Chloe_. She so desperately wanted to go and see Chloe. Just be with her, hold her and tell her that everything would be okay but she had told her twenty minutes and she was not about to break her promise. Chloe had been lied to enough in her life and betrayed by those she thought she could trust. Ange was not about to be another one of those people. She had to stick to her word and give her daughter space.

* * *

Chloe changed into her pyjamas. The clothes from the SARC were comfortable enough but they were not _her _clothes. They were a horrific reminder of what had gone on over the last few hours and she could not bear to be in them anymore. She stuffed them right at the back of the wardrobe. She could have put them in the laundry basket but she knew what that would do to her mum when she emptied it. She knew what this was already doing to her mum and she hated herself for it. She hated herself full-stop at the moment and she knew that this was exactly how _he _wanted her to feel but she had no energy to try and feel anything else.

Wrapping the blanket from the bed around her, she sat down on the floor and drew her knees up to her chest to make herself as small as she possibly could. Ange had said she would be up to check on Chloe in twenty minutes and Chloe knew only too well that she meant it but she had to stay away from her for as long as she could even though the only thing she wanted was for her mum to hug her and never let her go. She would be safe in her mum's arms, she always was. _Mum. _She was all Chloe could think about. Having her around in this state, what is it going to do to her? It will bring back so many memories, surely. So many painful memories that her mum would have worked so hard to forget. It has taken her years to get to where she is now and Chloe being there like this is bound to be too much. Her being there has _always _been too much. She should never have been born, never have existed and that would have saved her mum a whole lot of agony on top of what she had already been through. It would have saved _her _a whole lot of agony. Right now, Chloe felt like her existence was for this reason and this reason alone. It was where she came from and it was now her punishment for existing from it. Born and raised like a lamb for the slaughter. She had served her purpose and that was it. There was nothing else she was good for, no other reason for her to be alive.

Chloe's thoughts were all-of-a-sudden disrupted by a gentle knocking at the door. Having lost all sense of time, she assumed it would be her mum so was taken slightly by surprise when she heard Dom's voice.

"Hey." He said softly. On gaining no response, he continued. "I'm going to come in, is that okay?" He waited for a few seconds before opening the door and approaching Chloe, hyper-aware not to spook her. He took a seat next to her, being sure to leave a safe distance between them.

"Did mum send you?" Chloe asked in a small, child-like voice.

"No." Dom told her honestly. "I offered." It was the truth. After Ange had given him the run-down of the day's events, he had offered and Ange had said he could go up and see Chloe but not to blame her if she reacted badly. Admittedly, he was shocked that Chloe had not so much as flinched when he went near her but he guessed that she was still in shock, not to mention utterly exhausted. "How are you doing?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Dom knew that was an incredibly stupid question.

"I'm..." Chloe started after a moment's thought, in almost a whisper. She so, so desperately wanted to tell Dom everything. How she was feeling, what had happened but that was not why he was here and he did not need to hear that, did not need that burden. He needed to be there for her mum, not her. "...fine." She finished. It was an outright lie and Dom could see it written all over her face.

"Chloe..." He began. She shook her head adamantly.

"No. You need to worry about mum and only mum." She insisted.

"Okay." He said, defeated. "Okay." He was determined to be there for both of them but did not want to upset Chloe any further by telling her that. "Are you coming down or are you going to try and get some sleep?"

"I don't want to upset mum." She replied.

"You won't, she's worried about you, she wants to see you but if you want to sleep then..."

"I don't think there's much chance of that happening." She said downheartedly.

"Come on." Dom encouraged, getting to his feet and offering a hand for Chloe to take which she did, cautiously and using her other hand to steady herself on the bed. "Are you in pain?"

"It's fine." Chloe responded quickly. Dom nodded, not wanting to push the matter.

They reached the top of the stairs, still hand-in-hand when Chloe suddenly froze, eyes wide in panic. Dom squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Together, okay?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **I apologise for posting this later than I'd hoped. I was up working on this until quarter-past midnight Sunday night/Monday morning and then I went to write more this morning (Monday) and six-hundred words had disappeared. By some miracle, I managed not to have a breakdown (had a similar issue with one of my uni essays last year the week before it was due in and I definitely _did _have a breakdown over that) and re-wrote it. It's a lot more gritty than what I originally had but I hope it's okay. I would like this to be a three-parter but I need a solid idea for the next chapter so it may take a little bit longer. My current thinking is that Chloe opens up to Ange or at least begins to. If anyone has anything they would like to see then throw it at me and I'll see what I can do.

Thank you Nat and Elle for your ideas (sorry they didn't make the final cut) and for helping me not have a breakdown over losing part of my story.

Thank you also to all my reviewers - holbycityjosia, elleigator, IseultLaBelle, twilightwonderer and Megawritesx - you're all lovely and have kept me going! :)

* * *

"Go into the lounge." Dom told Chloe once they had reached the bottom of the stairs. "I'll go and check on your mum, okay?" Chloe gave a small nod, let go of his hand and disappeared into the room.

"She's struggling, isn't she?" Ange said fearfully on hearing Dom enter the kitchen. She was clutching onto the sideboard with her back to the door trying so hard not to cry. "She's forcing herself to hold it together when that's the last thing she feels like doing. She doesn't have to do that. Why is she doing that?" She finished in despair, turning to face Dom, desperately searching his face for the answers.

"I know, I know." He responded, stepping forward and embracing Ange. "She's probably still in shock and will have gone over it with the police, maybe more than once so won't want to do that again if she can help it. All you can do is give her time and let her know that you're there when she's ready to talk." He stopped and hesitated for a moment, debating how Ange would take hearing what he was about to say. "She's...she's also terrified of upsetting you." Ange broke away from Dom and looked up at him again, devastation in her eyes.

"How can she still be putting other people first when she's hurting like this?"

"Because...because she's Chloe and that's what she does." Dom answered surely. That one was easy. Although he had only known Chloe eight months, that was something he had very quickly established about her personality. She was fiercely protective over those she loved and would go to any lengths to defend them from pain or anguish, no matter what impact that might have on herself and these circumstances were no different.

"I need to be with her." Ange stated. "Is she still in her room?"

"No, she's in the lounge." He told her and without response, Ange was there like a shot.

* * *

It was quiet, too quiet and that only allowed Chloe to overthink. She would never be able to get the image of her mum's face when she worked out what had really gone on out of her head. The pity, the absolute dread, the horrific realisation and the..._disgust. You're disgusting. You're pathetic and you asked for this. In fact, you didn't even put up a fight. You let him do it and now you're acting like it's you who's the victim. Your mum wouldn't have done that. She would have fought with every ounce of strength in her body. She isn't pathetic or weak. You're a grown woman, for goodness' sake, yet you can't cope without your mum. She doesn't want you here, she has never wanted you, she just felt sorry for you and felt like she has to look after you because you're her daughter. You don't deserve her. You don't deserve anyone. Why are you here?_

_"Chloe?" _Chloe was vaguely aware of her mum and Dom entering the room but their voices were muffled and distant. She pulled the blanket up around her head so that only her eyes and nose were visible and wished more than anything that she could just disappear into it and be erased from all existence.

"Yes?" She replied, straightening up, trying to tune into the present moment and out of her own thoughts.

"Is...is there anything you need? Anything you want?" Ange asked, taking a seat beside her though being sure to leave enough room whilst Dom took to the armchair opposite. "Any painkillers or..."

"No." Chloe cut her of sharply, though not meaning to. "Sorry. No, I'm fine."

_Fine? You're anything but fine. You're such a liar, not that anyone would care if you were to tell the truth. You wouldn't know how, would you? You can't open your mouth without upsetting someone, especially your mum. After everything she has ever done for you you continue to let her down, just like you always have done._

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Ange reassured her, wanting desperately to reach out and hold her daughter close but resisting because Chloe's body language was telling her that that was the last thing she wanted.

_You have everything to be sorry for._

"Can I stick the telly on?" Dom asked, hoping it would be a welcome distraction. "We can catch Bake-Off on plus shortly."

"Sure." Ange grinned, turning to look at Chloe and rolling her eyes. Having momentarily zoned out, Chloe gave a failed attempt at a smile in response.

_See, they're carrying on as if nothing happened. They don't care about you. They have each other now. The only right thing you have ever done in your life is bringing them together. They need each other. Dominic is a much better person than you are, than you will ever be. She wanted him, wanted him so badly but couldn't have him and now she does. You, she never wanted you. You were forced upon her, gave her no choice and now you're doing exactly that all over again, this time by playing the victim. How incredibly selfish. Are you not ashamed of yourself? Why, why are you still here? Get out, leave them to it._

_"Chloe, ignore them, they're wrong."_ Ange pleaded, though trying to keep calm. Her voice was becoming further and further away, fuzzier and fuzzier once more even though she had moved to sit closer to her daughter. Chloe had put her hands over her ears and was pressing harder and harder, whimpering and Ange knew only too well what that meant. The voices in her head were trying to take over. Tormenting her, telling her things that could not be any further from the truth and she would believe them, every single word. Chloe was so vulnerable at the moment, too vulnerable.

_You're making a show of yourself, stop it! She doesn't care about you, she's just trying to stop you from embarrassing her in front of Dominic. They don't want you here. Get out. GET. OUT!_

All of a sudden, Chloe bolted up from the sofa and out into the hallway, making straight for the front door. Luckily, Dom was quick to react and managed to block the door before she could reach it. Ange was right behind them.

"No, no, no you don't." He told Chloe calmly.

"I have to get out of here!" Chloe cried, tears rolling furiously down her cheeks. "Please, please just let me go!" She begged.

"You're not going anywhere, you're safe here." He persuaded, reaching out for her hands. She took a step backwards in surprise and turned to face Ange, who went to hug her.

"I don't want you to touch me." She choked. "I don't want anyone to touch me." She went back to the lounge and paced up and down, arms wrapped protectively around her body.

"What _do_ you want, Chloe?" Dom asked as he and Ange followed her. "Tell us, let us help you."

"I want..." She sat back down, bottom lip quivering. "I want this to stop, all of it to just stop. The voices, the flashbacks, everything." Her voice shook and cracked as a fresh set of tears escaped. "But most of all I want to go to sleep and never wake up and I want to claw my skin off." She finished angrily, breaking down into heartbroken sobs and gouging at her arms so violently with her fingernails that her sleeves rode up and she drew blood almost immediately. Ange was by her side in no time at all, taking Chloe tightly into her arms.

"Let go, Chloe, you don't need to do that." Ange told her tearfully.

"Get...off...me!" She sobbed, attempting to struggle against Ange's grip which only proved to be too strong, though did not stop Chloe from desperately scratching at her arms. Tenderly, Dom knelt down in front of her.

"Chloe, it's me, it's Dom." He started. "I'm going to hold your hands okay? I promise I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just going to hold your hands." Slowly, he took her hands in his, feeling them instantly relax though initially try to pull away. "I'm not going to hurt you." He repeated. "It's okay." She eventually gave in to her mum and to Dom, though still sobbing hard, limply squeezing Dom's hands to let him know and he rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs.

"It's okay, sweetheart, it's going to be okay. Let it all out, you're safe." Ange soothed, tears trickling down her own cheeks as she rocked her daughter gently. Chloe freed one of her hands from Dom's and clung onto Ange's arm, nestling her head into the crook of her neck. Ange kissed the top of Chloe's head, taken aback by the unusual scent in her blonde hair - the shampoo from the SARC, an alien scent and yet another reminder of everything that had happened that day. "I've got you now and I am never, _never_ going to let anyone hurt you ever again."

* * *

It felt like a lifetime that Ange and Dom had held Chloe whilst she cried. After a while, the intensity of her sobs lessened a little and her breathing threatened to become erratic.

"Chloe?" Ange said softly. "Chloe, if you can hear me, try and slow your breathing down okay? Can you do that for me?" She instantly felt her daughter try and take a deep breath, her whole body quaking with the effort. "That's it, good girl." She encouraged as Chloe tried another few times before her breathing returned to normal.

"It hurts, mum." She said weakly. "It hurts inside."

"Oh sweetheart." Ange did not know what to say.

"And everything aches. Is it...is it supposed to feel like this?" She questioned despairingly, torn between needing answers and not wanting to upset her mum any further.

"It's not unusual." She replied. "Do you want some painkillers?" She felt Chloe nod.

"I'll get them." Dom instantly volunteered.

"In the bathroom." Ange told him. "Box in the cupboard on the top shelf." Dom nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'll do a hot water bottle for you too, Chloe."

"Airing cupboard."

"The one with the sheep on it." Chloe said wearily. "Not the horrible tartan thing. That's mum's." Both Dom and Ange almost laughed at Chloe's witty comment, unsure as to whether she was intentionally trying to be funny or whether it was her way of masking exactly how much discomfort she was really in.

"Okay. I'll be two minutes." He smiled at them reassuringly, giving Chloe's hand one final squeeze before getting up and leaving the room.

* * *

As good as his word, Dom returned minutes later with all of the promised items.

"Here we go." He announced, handing the tablets and water to Chloe, followed by the hot water bottle. "Painkillers, water and one hot water bottle." He reeled off. "The one with the sheep on, not the horrible tartan thing." He smirked. "It really _is _horrible, Ange. Where on earth did you get it? The seventeenth century?"

"It was my mother's!" Ange retorted in mock offence.

"It's still horrible."

"It is." Chloe agreed. She attempted to sit up so that she could put the now-empty glass onto the table and place the hot water bottle onto her stomach but it only made her groan with the pain.

"Steady, steady." Ange insisted. Dom took the glass from Chloe and Ange supported her to get into a more comfortable position which eventually turned out to be Chloe lying on her side with her head on a cushion in Ange's lap.

Once she had settled down, Dom placed the earlier-discarded blanket over Chloe and she looked as if she might actually drift off to sleep. Whether or not her mind would give her any peace to do so was another matter. Dom resumed to his seat and they all sat in silence for a while, attention turned to the television, or at least that was what they pretended.

"Dom?" Ange whispered after a little time had passed. Dom looked over to her. "Can you turn it down?" She asked. "Chloe's asleep."


End file.
